Execution is people, culture and making the right evidence-based changes & decisions.

Recently an interstate colleague contacted me to advise their annual performance review included a random new deliverable, “Improve your Emotional Intelligence (EI)”. I held my breath, tilted my head, raised my eyebrows and responded, “Do you have a formal EI HR expectation; a repeatable and transparent EI methodology that all from CEO to shop floor are transparently measured and exception-managed. Do you have a prioritized improvement plan that’s mutually agreed with your manager providing concurrent support, measurement and recognition?” My question was met with belly laughter.

When we have an ailment or illness, we seek a doctor/specialist; when an IT, mechanical or electrical system faults, an engineer; when a contract is in dispute, a lawyer. Yet workplaces accept the bias and ‘gutfeel’ of manager’s authority, without evidence or qualification to critically measure exception in personnel. Some managers are disconnected from the deleterious effect this bias has on engagement, morale and mental health.

#facepalm.

In recent decades, business has more heavily lent on consultancy to deliver ‘strategy houses’; we all know the template, start with purpose and vision, seek differentiation and deliver on a foundation of people, culture and continuous improvement (CI) with vertical pillars of industry best profitability, safety, environment and customer service whilst being a ‘corporate pillar’ of community. Simple, repeatable, proven. That’s the strategy house template 101.

Some years ago, a mentor advised that it is not in the strategy where the capability gap in the current business model exists, seemingly an infinite number of consultancies will wheel out their strategy house templates. Rather, it is in internal execution, that tangible, visceral activation where gaps exist in leadership and application – consultancy’s scope is never long-term execution. In the following chapters, I’ll seek to share execution gaps across culture, CI and risk; often many authors create narratives too broad feeding reader’s self-interested interpretation rather than definitive, distinct, simple, specific actions that should be core, endemic, coded to DNA to support excellence within that operating sphere. Structured & transparent processes; clear culture and empowerment; repeatable actions.

Simply, in my colleague’s recent experience, don’t be a manager that acts as a corporate Lone Ranger. Don’t shoot from the hip and assess personality, like a vitamin supplement, as being deficient in EI. Don’t stroll off into the annual performance review sunset without supporting and lifting your most important resource – your team. Admittedly rising from a negative vantage – these are distinct, repeatable and executable actions. 

Chapter 1 – Is Netflix Culture a pipedream?

Chapter 2 – CI is not capital expenditure

Chapter 3 – Gaming statistics